The Ice age

In 2012, methamphetamine overtook heroin as the drug injected most often in Australia.

Rising crime rates are the tip of an insidious iceberg, as methamphetamine abuse cases soar in Australia.

The methamphetamine drug called ice is the drug of choice among young people, and so powerful that it can take just one hit for its users to become addicted.

In the state of Victoria, the state's support lines have been flooded with calls for help and the number of people seeking face-to-face assistance from support services has also risen. In 2012, methamphetamine overtook heroin as the drug injected most often.

Meth can cause serious irreparable long-term effects including depression, anxiety, aggressive behaviour and memory loss, and is also being linked with a rise in HIV cases.

Drug support services are calling for specialised courts and tailored meth rehabilitation programs to help combat the ice crisis. Recovering meth addicts who spoke to 101 East say the criminalizing of their problems hinders those seeking treatment for what they see as a lifelong illness.